Do we live in a toxic culture?

[Ultralight]

I was scanning over the headlines of the news this morning.

And I just thought (not for the first time...) that we live in a profoundly toxic culture.

Anyone else feel this way?

Where did we go so wrong?

Is there any way to a distinctly better future?

Is simple living a way you resist our toxic culture?

[ApatheticNoMore]

Well to a large extent maybe everyone lives in their OWN culture anyway (ethnic groups have cultural differences of course, but even if not particularly ethnic - we live as we are raised by our parents, in the narrow reality we experience everyday (maybe it's just going to work and back), by the people we know or sometimes the lack of people we know, to a small extent by the influences we let in etc.).

Now if this is something like mainstream entertainment is garbage (much of it is - I don't like the overall worldview), advertising is ridiculous, the t.v. news sensationalizes violence etc. (that it does), the economic system is brutal (that it often is), our politicians suck (many of them do although they are made that way by systematic pressures), then hmm yes those are broad things that have more or less influence (I mean one could avoid entertainment and t.v. news and even ignore politics, but one can't entirely avoid their influence on other people and one can pretty much never avoid the job market and other economic pressures like the rental market etc.).

[sweetana3]

There have always been those living on the edges of "normality" or statistical averages. It is just that our media, to get ratings, pushes all the sensationalized stories as far as they can on as many platforms as possible.

If you dig deep, no country has a totally homogenized culture. Some, Japanese as an example, are better at pushing all parts of the population to follow the leader and be the "same". But even in Japan, there are those that are way outside the norm.

What do you consider toxic? Is it personally experienced or in your mind due to media influence?

[artist]

I agree that we do very much live in a toxic culture.
Personally I find that simple living plays a big part in my ability to remove myself from the toxic nature of the world around me. I don't isolate myself, but I do choose what I expose myself to. A major part of simplicity for me was removing television in all forms from my life. I get my news via the Washington post, Wall Street Journal and NPR. I control when and how much news I take in that way.

[HappyHiker]

Good question! And one I ponder myself. It seems to me that over the last 50 years, we've glorified and sensationalized violence and mayhem.

As a kid we used to play cowboys and Indians but that was tame compared to the video games kids and adults and the movies we show of death and destruction. Lots of explosions. Chases. Death.

I wonder if it's "monkey see, monkey do"? Are we brainwashing citizens to emulate mass murders and death by automatic war weapons? There's a saying that "you become that which you concentrate on." So if many impressionable minds are surrounded by news and "entertainment" that's toxic and violent, is that what we're becoming (or have become??)

Me? I avoid clicking on headlines that lead to stories of violence and destruction. I do click on stories of human kindness. Even cute puppy and kittens. Nature stories. The lighter and better side of life. I don't choose to concentrate on the dark side.

And yes, we do live (partially) in a toxic environment. I'm not sure why it's being foisted on us though....bears exploring.

[bae]

Where did we go so wrong?

I point at the adoption of agriculture.

[JaneV2.0]

All in all, I don't think so. Maybe some aspects of it are more "toxic" than in previous times, but those are offset by progress made in other areas. I guess it's all in what you focus on.

[Ultralight]

I point at the adoption of agriculture.

I agree with you, even though I know you are just mocking.

[bae]

I agree with you, even though I know you are just mocking.

Nope.

[creaker]

I would say there are toxic elements in our culture (big ones). A lot of it due to of dysfunctionality - and a lot of it due to the same reason we create so much toxicity in our environment - people trying to gain money/power.

I think part of the problem is this toxicity is often presented in such a way as to get people to throw up their hands, go into apathy mode and let it continue. Especially this notion that there should be a way to "fix" it. Which I think is total nonsense. To use a house analogy - no matter what you do in/to your house, things will get dirty, broken, worn out, and have to be addressed over and over on an ongoing basis - there is no "fix" that will make that go away. But we get hammered into us we should be able to "fix" these problems so they go away. It's a utopian notion that just doesn't work.

Changing the world is very hard - but while changing yourself is well within one's scope, most don't bother. Because it won't "fix" the bigger problems. I think if more people addressed what they can change, the world would be a lot better. Not "fixed", but better.